Wasaga Beach elects a familiar face to unseat current mayor
The Town of Wasaga Beach will have a familiar face in the mayor's seat.
Brian Smith, who served as mayor from 2014 to 2018, won Monday's mayoral election over incumbent Nina Bifolchi.
"For me personally, it's about carrying on and finishing what we started before," said Smith.
"One of the first things is to reopen Beach Drive and get to work on reopening the walk-in clinic and then, of course, the downtown master plan and redevelopment plans," he added.
Smith said he plans to sit down with the proponents of the downtown project and possibly bring in additional people to ensure the project is done to fit the community's needs best.
During the election campaign, Smith told CTV News that he didn't have plans to run in this year's election after losing in 2018, but said he made the decision with a push from community members.
The unofficial numbers from election night show Smith received 38 per cent of the votes.
Brian Smith (Supplied)
The town recorded 11,639 total votes.
Bifolchi finished second with 25 per cent of the vote.
On Tuesday, the town's current mayor released a statement thanking the community for its ongoing support during her time in office.
The statement also addressed the issues she endured as mayor.
"As my family and friends will tell you, I have sacrificed my peace, privacy, and to some degree, my enjoyment of life for far too long by being in public office," wrote Bifolchi.
"While I was not successful in this year's election, I am very much looking forward to a simple and happy life."
The race also featured two fresh faces to Wasaga Beach politics.
Leslie Farkas received 16 per cent of the votes and Giorgio Mammoliti 20 per cent.
Mammoliti, who served as a Toronto city councillor and MPP, thanked his supporters for their support and said he would continue to advocate for the town's people.
"I feel like anybody would; a little disappointed, but I feel good because our message was sent and think this what it's been all about," he said.
As for his future, Mammoliti said he would take some time to reflect on the campaign and decide on his political future but plans to call Wasaga Beach home.
"You never say never in this game, and you'll probably see me around somewhere," said Mammoliti.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6969902.1721383721!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
CrowdStrike says widespread disruptions were not the result of security incident or cyberattack
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said Friday that an issue that has caused major disruptions to companies worldwide is not a security incident or cyberattack.
Trump urges unity after assassination attempt while proposing sweeping populist agenda in RNC finale
Donald Trump, sombre and bandaged, accepted the GOP presidential nomination on Thursday at the Republican National Convention in a speech that described in detail the assassination attempt that could have ended his life just five days earlier before laying out a sweeping populist agenda, particularly on immigration.
Canadian families will receive more in their next Canada Child Benefit payment. Here's why
Canadian families receiving Canada Child Benefit program payments can expect more cash in their cheques this Friday.
Thinking about getting a tattoo? New research might change your mind
Sealed bottles of tattoo and permanent makeup ink, including some marked as sterile, contained millions of potentially dangerous bacteria, according to new research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
'We had a good run': High-profile Liberal minister quitting cabinet, not running in next election
Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan has announced he will not run in the next federal election, and will be quitting his cabinet position Friday.
opinion Feel-good movies to watch when you're down
Film critic Richard Crouse offers a list of movies to watch when you need a mood boost.
Shannen Doherty granted divorce days after death
Shannen Doherty finalized her split with husband, Kurt Iswarienko, just hours before her death at age 53, and she was granted a rare posthumous divorce two days later.
B.C. woman who thought Coldplay concert 'was a date' must pay ex for ticket, tribunal rules
A B.C. woman has been ordered to repay her ex for a ticket to Coldplay's 2023 concert in Vancouver – in a small claims decision that highlights the distinction between gifts and loans under Canadian law.
Here's what happened on the final night of the RNC
The final day of the Republican National Convention was underway in Milwaukee where Donald Trump made a lengthy speech.